1995 WISCONSIN ACT 34
An Act to amend 17.13 (1), 60.30 (title), 60.30 (1) (a) 2. and 70.46 (1); and to create 60.10 (1) (b) 2m., 60.30 (1e) and 70.46 (1m) of the statutes; relating to: authorizing town meetings and town boards to fill the offices of town clerk and town treasurer or the combined office of town clerk and town treasurer by appointment.
The people of the state of Wisconsin, represented in senate and assembly, do enact as follows:
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Section 1. 17.13 (1) of the statutes is amended to read:
17.13 (1) Appointive officers.
Any Except as provided in s. 60.30 (1e) (c) and (f), any appointive village, town, town sanitary district, school district and technical college district officer, by the officer or body that appointed him or her, at pleasure. Removal of any such officer by a body shall be by a majority vote of all the members thereof.
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Section 2. 60.10 (1) (b) 2m. of the statutes is created to read:
60.10 (1) (b) 2m. In a town with a population of 2,500 or more, provide for the appointment by the town board of the town clerk, town treasurer, or both, or of the combined office of town clerk and town treasurer under s. 60.305 (1), at a level of compensation to be set by the board that may not be reduced during the term to which the person is appointed.
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Section 3. 60.30 (title) of the statutes is amended to read:
60.30 (title) Election, appointment of town officers; general provisions.
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Section 4. 60.30 (1) (a) 2. of the statutes is amended to read:
60.30 (1) (a) 2. A Except as provided in sub. (1e), a town clerk and a town treasurer or a person to serve in the combined office of town clerk and town treasurer under s. 60.305 (1).
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Section 5. 60.30 (1e) of the statutes is created to read:
60.30 (1e) Appointed town officers. (a) Notwithstanding sub. (1) (a) 2. and subject to pars. (b) and (c), a town board may enact an ordinance that provides for the appointment of a person by a majority of the members-elect of the town board, as defined in s. 59.001 (2m), to fill the office of town clerk, town treasurer, or both, or to fill the combined office of town clerk and town treasurer under s. 60.305 (1).
(b) An ordinance enacted under par. (a) may not take effect until it is approved in a referendum called by the town board for that purpose at the next spring or general election, to be held not sooner than 45 days after the referendum is called by the town board. The referendum question shall be: “Shall the person holding the office of ... [town clerk or town treasurer, or both; or the combined office of town clerk and town treasurer] in the town of ... be appointed by the town board?".
(c) If an ordinance is approved in a referendum under par. (b), the change from an elective office to an appointive office may not take effect until the term of office of the incumbent town clerk, town treasurer or combined town clerk and town treasurer expires. If an ordinance is approved under par. (b) at a general election the ordinance takes effect upon the expiration of the term or terms of the incumbent officer or officers. If an ordinance is approved under par. (b) at a spring election at which the office of town clerk or town treasurer is filled, the ordinance takes effect upon the expiration of the term or terms of each officer who is elected at that election. A person appointed to the office of town clerk, town treasurer or to the combined office of town clerk and town treasurer shall serve for a term, not to exceed 3 years, that is set by the town board. The person may be reappointed and may be dismissed by the board only for cause, as defined in s. 17.16 (2).
(d) Not sooner than 2 years after an ordinance is approved in a referendum under par. (b), the town board may enact an ordinance to return to a system of electing the town clerk and town treasurer or the combined office of town clerk and town treasurer, under sub. (1) (a) 2., without a referendum. If the ordinance under this paragraph is enacted on or after the date of the spring election and on or before November 1 in any year, a town clerk, town treasurer or combined town clerk and town treasurer shall be elected to succeed the appointive officer at the next spring election following enactment of the ordinance. If the ordinance is enacted on any other date, a town clerk, town treasurer or combined town clerk and town treasurer shall be elected to succeed the appointive officer at the 2nd spring election following enactment of the ordinance.
(e) Notwithstanding sub. (1) (a) 2. and subject to pars. (f) and (g), a town board that is authorized to do so by a town meeting under s. 60.10 (1) (b) 2m. shall appoint, by a majority of the members-elect of the town board, as defined in s. 59.001 (2m), a person to fill the office of town clerk, town treasurer, or both, or to fill the combined office of town clerk and town treasurer under s. 60.305 (1). The town board shall make the initial appointment not less than 30 days nor more than 60 days after the annual town meeting at which the authorization is given.
(f) If a person is appointed to office under par. (e), the person initially appointed may not take office until the term of office of the incumbent town clerk, town treasurer or combined town clerk and town treasurer expires. A person appointed to the office of town clerk, town treasurer or to the combined office of town clerk and town treasurer shall serve for a term, not to exceed 3 years, that is set by the town board. The person may be reappointed and may be dismissed by the board only for cause, as defined in s. 17.16 (2).
(g) Not sooner than 2 years after a person is appointed to office under par. (e), the town board may enact an ordinance to return to a system of electing the town clerk and town treasurer or the combined office of town clerk and town treasurer, under sub. (1) (a) 2. without a vote of a town meeting. An ordinance enacted under this paragraph shall follow the procedures in par. (d).
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Section 6. 70.46 (1) of the statutes is amended to read:
70.46 (1) Except as provided in sub. (1m) and s. 70.99, the supervisors and clerk of each town, the mayor, clerk and such other officers, other than assessors, as the common council of each city by ordinance determines, the president, clerk and such other officers, other than the assessor, as the board of trustees of each village by ordinance determines, shall constitute a board of review for the town, city or village. In cities of the 1st class the board of review shall by ordinance in lieu of the foregoing consist of 5 to 9 residents of the city, none of whom may occupy any public office or be publicly employed. The members shall be appointed by the mayor of the city with the approval of the common council and shall hold office as members of the board for staggered 5-year terms. In Subject to sub. (1m), in all other towns, cities and villages the board of review may by ordinance in lieu of the foregoing consist of any number of town, city or village residents and may include public officers and public employes. The ordinance shall specify the manner of appointment. The town board, common council or village board shall fix, by ordinance, the salaries of the members of the board of review. No board of review member may serve on a county board of review to review any assessment made by a county assessor unless appointed as provided in s. 70.99 (10).
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Section 7. 70.46 (1m) of the statutes is created to read:
70.46 (1m) (a) A person who is appointed to the office of town clerk, town treasurer or to the combined office of town clerk and town treasurer under s. 60.30 (1e) may not serve on a board of review under sub. (1).
(b) If a town board of review under sub. (1) had as a member a person who held the elective office of town clerk, town treasurer or the combined office of town clerk and town treasurer, and the town appoints a person to hold one or more of these offices under s. 60.30 (1e), the town board shall fill the seat on the board of review formerly held by an elective office holder by an elector of the town.
